In recent decades, new Ti-based thermometers have found widespread use in geosciences, providing a convenient and powerful tool for investigating the crystallization temperatures of quartz and zircons in magmatic systems. However, a commonly overlooked aspect is the constraint of TiO2 activity (aTiO2liquid-rutile). Many studies assume aTiO2 to be constant or equate the presence of Ti-rich phases, such as ilmenite, with fixed activity levels. Using solubility models and data from natural systems, we demonstrate that aTiO2 is a dynamic parameter, influenced by temperature, mineral assemblage, and TiO2 content in the melt. Focusing on examples from several volcanic fields (Bishop Tuff, Fish Canyon Tuff, Yellowstone, and Shiveluch), we discuss the impact of these factors on aTiO2 and highlight how inadequate constraint of aTiO2 can lead to erroneous interpretations of magma storage conditions.
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Research Article|
November 20, 2023
The dynamic nature of aTiO2: Implications for Ti-based thermometers in magmatic systems
L.M. Fonseca Teixeira;
L.M. Fonseca Teixeira
1
Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland2
Division of Earth Sciences and Geography, Faculty of Georesources and Materials, RWTH Aachen University, 52072 Aachen, Germany
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J. Troch;
J. Troch
2
Division of Earth Sciences and Geography, Faculty of Georesources and Materials, RWTH Aachen University, 52072 Aachen, Germany
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O. Bachmann
O. Bachmann
1
Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
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L.M. Fonseca Teixeira
1
Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland2
Division of Earth Sciences and Geography, Faculty of Georesources and Materials, RWTH Aachen University, 52072 Aachen, Germany
J. Troch
2
Division of Earth Sciences and Geography, Faculty of Georesources and Materials, RWTH Aachen University, 52072 Aachen, Germany
O. Bachmann
1
Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
Publisher: Geological Society of America
Received:
20 Jul 2023
Revision Received:
18 Oct 2023
Accepted:
03 Nov 2023
First Online:
20 Nov 2023
Online ISSN: 1943-2682
Print ISSN: 0091-7613
© 2023 Geological Society of America
Geology (2023)
Article history
Received:
20 Jul 2023
Revision Received:
18 Oct 2023
Accepted:
03 Nov 2023
First Online:
20 Nov 2023
Citation
L.M. Fonseca Teixeira, J. Troch, O. Bachmann; The dynamic nature of aTiO2: Implications for Ti-based thermometers in magmatic systems. Geology 2023; doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G51587.1
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